Miro Heiskanen returns as Dallas Stars win, take 3-1 lead - ESPN

DALLAS — Mikael Granlund had his first career playoff hat trick, Miro Heiskanen returned from a 42-game absence, Jake Oettinger stopped 31 shots and the Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Tuesday night, taking a 3-1 series lead over the top-seeded club in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Dallas coach Pete DeBoer, in speaking with reporters on Monday, sent out signals that Heiskanen's return was near, saying «I'm still sticking by what I projected: that we would see him in the second round.» And he was right, as his top blueliner assisted on Granlund's third goal of the night, and finished with 19 shifts, covering 14:52 time on ice.

Mikko Rantanen upped his NHL-leading playoff total to 19 points, including nine goals, with the primary assist on Granlund's second goal that broke a 1-1 tie with 2:08 left in the second period and put the Stars ahead to stay.

Granlund did a double fist pump from his knees, then popped up to his skates after his third goal, his fourth in these playoffs, on a power play with 12:37 left in the game. The 33-year-old forward had scored multiple goals only one time in his previous 69 playoff games, for Minnesota in 2014.

Game 5 is at Winnipeg on Thursday, when the Stars will have their first chance to advance to the West final for the third year in a row.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets, who have lost all five of their road games this postseason.

Heiskanen was in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 28 after missing the last 32 regular-season games and first 10 playoff games because of a knee injury. Throughout the postseason, though, he has been skating with the team, building up the drama towards his return.

Granlund notched his first goal after skating down